"He was always fun to be around," Parnofiello, a close friend and former teammate to Batista, said. "He always made people laugh. He always made people happy."

But at his core, the light-hearted Batista always had a drive.

"He always had something new he wanted to accomplish," Parnofiello added. "With him, you knew he would always get by. Anything that he ever failed in, he knew he could counteract with something new."

When Batista joined the Army in 2010, Parnofiello knew his friend had found his calling.

Batista, who was 20 years old at the time, served as a paratrooper and mine detector operator for the famed 82nd Airborne Division. The decorated soldier, who accumulated seven medals of honor, including the Bronze Star, was killed in action on July 8, 2012 in the Zharay Province of Afghanistan.

On Saturday at 7 p.m., Kinnelon will host Rutherford for the second annual Jonathan Batista Classic to remember the fallen hero who called both towns home.

Batista, who graduated from Rutherford High School in 2007, spent three years as a varsity player for coach John Randazzo before he and his family moved to Kinnelon.

He was always selfless, Randazzo remembered.

"He always put the team ahead of himself, just like he did over there," Randazzo said. "He was never about the accolades."

Dave Jones, a Rutherford assistant coach, friend and teammate of Batista, helped launch the inaugural game last season in front of a packed house at Tryon Field in Rutherford.

As a player, Jones remembers Batista as an unsung hero. His service reflected that same sentiment.

"He was doing the stuff that not a lot of people volunteer for," Jones said. "He was the same way on the field. He did whatever was needed for the group. He was always willing to get in and do the dirty work."

"That's part of the reason why I'm just so proud of what he did," he added. "He was such a smart kid, he could have done a lot of different things, but instead he put his body and life on the line."

That sacrifice will resonate Saturday, as both communities remember what makes them proud of their fallen hero.